Letter from the Head - April / May 2010

Dear Parents

Dear Parents

We’re approaching the end of a very busy half term, particularly for our older students. Practical examinations and orals have been completed and GCSE examinations have already started. We have brought our lunch break forward to between 12 and 1 p.m. so that girls are in their lssons when the afternoon examinations take place in order to ensure he quietest possible working environment. This arrangement will continue for the two weeks after half term.

Last Friday we held our final assembly for the Year 11 students. This has become a tradition in the school – an opportunity for the staff and
students to reflect on the past 5 years. It was an emotional and moving occasion; the girls were very appreciative of the support they have been
given by the school – particularly, of course, by their tutors and Heads of Division. They also recognised that they have grown very close to
many of their year group and have made lifelong friends. We will be saying our formal goodbyes to the Year 13 girls at the end of this week
(followed by the leavers’ BBQ!). We wish them all every success in their examinations, and in the future.

Year 10 girls have been out on their work experience with placements ranging from nursery and primary schools to banks, solicitors, airlines,
pharmacies and hospitals. There have been some very positive reports from employers, many complimenting girls on their reliability, maturity
and hard work. A care home manager commented “the residents don’t want her to go, she has been super!”
I would like to thank all the staff who visited the girls in their place of work, Ms Kourchi who found and organised the majority of the
placements in partnership with the Ealing & Hammersmith Business partnership, and parents who arranged other positions for the girls (in
businesses located in the City of London to Stockport in Greater Manchester).

Our fund raising efforts for charity continue: 56 students, several staff (and a number of different family members!) took part in the recent ‘Bridges to Africa’ walk: 10km and 10 bridges between Vauxhall and the Tower of London, to raise money to build schools in Africa. Members
of 10QBm (with tutors Ms Beaumont and Ms De Lucca) completed the ‘Race for Life’ event, running, jogging or walking 5km in aid of Cancer Research UK, and Mr Stephens cycled 50km on the ‘Thames Bridges Bike Ride’ in aid of the Stroke Association. Our next charity
event is “Strip for Sport” where girls are able to wear their favourite football shirts in their PE lessons for a donation to the charity ‘Shelter’.

The girls have taken part in these opportunities with great enthusiasm, and it is this willingness to get involved that has led to our latest award: at an evening of celebration at Twickenham recently the West London School Sports Partnership presented us with the award for contribution
to school sport competition. From all the secondary schools in the West London area, our students participated in more competitions and matches than any other school – congratulations go to all those involved, and to the staff who organised and supported them!

Some girls took part in Ealing’s Road Safety Poster competition last November with winning designs turned into a calendar. It was a very nice surprise for our winners to receive prizes for their entries: Helen Cahilog (9RMa) won a £200 Evans Cycles voucher and Melissa Dias
(8RBy) collected WH Smith vouchers. Well done!

We’ve enjoyed some interesting assemblies in May; 7RSk celebrated the wonderful cultural diversity in their form group, 8RAz followed the recent election by focusing on the changes in women’s lives since the 1860’s (including the role of the suffragettes) and Year 12 saw a
presentation about applying to university, following a conference at St Paul’s Girls school
attended by some of our sixth form students.

Finally, could I ask you to ensure that the school is informed of any changes to their contact details, particularly phone numbers? There have been a number of occasions recently when we have been unable to get in touch with parents as numbers and email addresses have been out of date. Please email to ewsoffice@aol.com or send your new details via your daughter.

On behalf of all the staff and governors, I would like to wish all our students and their families a relaxing halfterm
break; I know that those preparing for examinations will be intensely focussed on their revision but hope that they also take time to rest, unwind and recharge.

C. Sydenham

P.S. The full letter from the Head can be found by following the link to the April / May newsletter.